From everyone here at CDW we would like to wish you all a very merry and safe Christmas.
So everyone have a safe and joyful Christmas and thank you for making CDW what it is.
The Kickstater project to bring VLC to Windows 8, including RT, has met its target.
This is how the Kickstarter project is described:
This project’s goal is a fully featured port of VLC media player to the new Windows 8 User Experience. A second release will also add support for Microsoft’s Surface tablets.
VLC media player for Windows is currently installed on about 100,000,000 devices worldwide. The existing version runs on Windows 8’s desktop mode, and is available only for Intel-based PCs. This new port will be natively integrated within the new User Experience and will also support ARM-based tablets in a subsequent release
Similar to the desktop version of VLC media player, you will be able to play all files, all your discs and all your network streams. All of that in a native, beautiful and easy-to-use interface.
In contrast to the built-in media player, VLC for Windows 8 we intend to add support for DVDs and VCDs out-of-the box as well as unencrypted Blu-Rays. All the features known from our current releases will be retained like a full fledged equalizer, video filters and superior support for subtitles.
We will pursue a fully-compliant app for submission to the Windows Store in order to reach as many users as possible, and to provide a consistent installation and update experience.
This fundraiser is run to allow experienced core members of the VideoLAN team to work on this new port full-time. We expect an initial release within three months after finishing the fundraiser. This would not be possible to do with volunteers.
The target was £40,000 and with 5 days still to go, as for 9am UK time, the amount raised is £41,167.
Nice work guys!
Learn more and pledge to the Kickstarter hereAmazon today updated their new Kindle app tailored for Windows 8.
Customers around the world can now download this free app and enjoy Amazon’s selection of over 1.5 million books at the best prices, including over 200,000 exclusive titles. Kindle books are “Buy Once, Read Everywhere” – customers can read Kindle books on any Kindle e-reader or Kindle Fire, as well as on iPad, iPod touch, iPhone, PC, Mac, BlackBerry, Windows Phone, Android phones and tablets, in web browsers with Kindle Cloud Reader and now on Windows 8 devices.
This release includes an in-app store for touch optimized devices along with improvements to the reading and library experiences.
Download now from the Windows StoreHave you downloaded it yet? Let us know by leaving a comment below.
Having got an iPad Mini I wanted to make sure it was protected and this time I wanted a keyboard too, so I took a look at the Portable Keyboard Case from Belkin, and here is our two minute review.
Designed to provide a better typing experience in a smaller package, the Belkin Portable Keyboard Case combines a removable keyboard and convenient folio in one slim, lightweight design.
From their website:
At Belkin, we make people-inspired products and solutions. For nearly 30 years it has been our passion and our mission to create products that make people’s lives better, easier and more fulfilling. From wireless home networking and entertainment to mobile accessories, energy management and an extensive range of cables; Belkin products enhance the technology that connects us to the people, activities and experiences we love.
Our diverse and far-reaching product mix also includes high-quality security, infrastructure, energy and server-room solutions for public and private sector organisations. Our commitment to innovation, research and design has inspired over 2,000 products and 200 patented designs.
Fitting the iPad Mini into the Portable Keyboard Case was simple.
The top of the case also acts the stand and you can easily adjust the angle to suit you.
Charging is easy, and relatively quick – just connect the USB cable and away you go. The orange light shows that it is charging.
When the iPad Mini is in the case, and its folded up it looks very stylish.
Connecting the keyboard to the iPad Mini is as simple as enabling Bluetooth and following the instructions.
Using the keyboard is great – although it takes a little to get used to as its smaller than I am used to.
I really like this case – mostly because of they keyboard, although the actual case part is very good too!
There is a small hole on the back for the rear camera and all the buttons and ports are easily accessible.
Fitting and removing the iPad Mini to case was easily too, as was pairing the keyboard with the iPad Mini. It is also light-weight so carrying it around isn’t going to cause you any discomfort, especially over extended periods.
They keyboard itself is relatively small (it’s the same size as the iPad Mini to give you an idea) and so it takes a little time to get used to typing on it. If you type relatively quickly then like me you will probably make a few little mistakes to begin with (see the picture above to see what I mean). If you are a slow typer, or a single finger typer then you probably won’t have a problem at all.
Belkin claim the battery on the keyboard lasts for 155 hours of active use – so far this claim rings true as I haven’t yet had to recharge it, so I am very happy! I can be safe in the knowledge that as long as it’s charged up or hasn’t been used too much since the last charge that it is going to last me for a long time!
The keyboard is actually stuck onto the inside of the case and cannot be removed – not that this is a problem and actually works very well.
The Portable Keyboard Case retails for £69.99, so it is very reasonable for both a keyboard (which works very well) and also a case, which protects!
Learn more from the Belkin websiteThis Christmas, parents are being urged not to miss the critical 24-hour Safe Setup window, as part of a campaign launched by Microsoft to help parents manage safety settings across all the web connected devices in their home, new and old – including PCs, laptops, tablets, games consoles and smartphones.
With UK retailers like Currys & PC World reporting a surge in demand for new technology, Christmas Day 2012 is likely to see more internet-connected devices given as gifts than ever before. However research shows that parents need help to set them up safely and quickly, ideally the moment they come out of the box.
To help parents and guardians activate safety settings within a critical 24-hour safety window, Microsoft has released a Twelve Steps from Santa checklist with twelve easy steps that parents can take on Christmas Day to ensure any new computers, phones or console are set up safely for all the family to use.
So your family has found their way onto Santa’s ‘nice’ list this Christmas, and are now the proud owners of a host of new devices. But you’re not sure how to make them safe to use for each age-group?
Well, here is Santa’s checklist for the simple steps you can take on Christmas Day to give you peace of mind:
If like me you run Parallels Desktop for Mac version 8, then there is an update for you.
This update for Parallels Desktop 8 for Mac (builds 8.0.18354, 8.0.18356) addresses overall stability issues and includes the following fixes:
Go download the update now.
Recently Namco Bandai released information on their forthcoming game Earth Defense Force 2025.
Earth Defense Force 2025 is the long awaited follow-up in the Earth Defense Force (EDF) series from Japanese developer Sandlot. The insects return from dormancy to end humanity with over-the-top action and massive city-levelling explosions that will entrench the EDF and the citizens of Earth into a state of emergency.
Earth Defense Force 2025 is an action shooting bonanza that arms players with their choice of EDF soldier classes equipped with more weapons ever in the series and the elite training to exterminate menacing insects of all sizes in the global quest to protect the world from alien invasion.
Featuring tons of missions, making it the most ever seen in the series and the first to feature four-player multiplayer on home consoles, Earth Defense Force 2025 is an all-out battle against the terrifying ravagers that have come back stronger than ever in their mission to destroy the planet. Be prepared to heed the warnings of the upcoming insect raid in 2013 for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.
So what do you think of Earth Defense Force 2025? Let us know by leaving a comment below.
Sony Computer Entertainment this week announced that the cumulative sales of the PlayStation 3 reached a milestone of 30 million units Europe and the PAL territories as of December 17, 2012 – less than six years after the platform launched in 2006.
The PS3 system has delivered high quality, award-winning entertainment experiences since its launch. Throughout its lifecycle, the PS3 system has continued to evolve with more streamlined design, larger Hard Disk Drive (HDD) capacity, and new features through software updates. In September 2012, SCE launched the new PS3 system, which has a reduced volume and weight of more than 50 percent compared to the original PS3 model, and of 25 percent and 20 percent respectively compared to the slim PS3 model launched in 2009. The new PS3 has been well received by consumers around the world.
Along with the introduction of PS3 in November 2006, SCE launched PlayStation Network, which now operates in 59 countries and regionsaround the world. PlayStation Network supports free community-centric online gameplay, exclusive games from independent developers and major publishers, and a broad range of entertainment applications across movies, music, and sports. PS3 owners can access 170,000 downloadable digital content including 57,000 game content worldwide from PlayStation Network. In October 2012, SCE redesigned PlayStation Store for PS3, offering a more streamlined and accessible store experience, including a stunning new user interface, simple search, and powerful content discovery. The new store is now available in Europe and North and Latin America with more countries and regions to follow.
PlayStation Plus, the subscription service package on PlayStation Store that offers exclusive benefits such as discounts on games or online storage for game saves, started to offer an “Instant Game Collection” in North America and Europe in July 2012. The Instant Game Collection enables PS Plus members to enjoy popular titles from third party developers and publishers as well as SCE Worldwide Studios at no extra cost. SCE has also enhanced the content offering for PS Plus members in Japan in November.
Assassin’s Creed III and Assassin’s Creed III Liberation is available in Ubisoft’s first-ever PlayStation Network Flash Sale – so grab yourself a bargain while you can.
The following items are included in the sale:
• Assassin’s Creed III – 35% off
• Assassin’s Creed III Liberation – 35% off
• Assassin’s Creed III Gold (full game and season pass) – 35% off
• Assassin’s Creed III Gold & Assassin’s Creed III Liberation – 50% off
The sale is now available in North America (United States, Canada and Mexico) and is only available this weekend.
Check out our review of Assassin’s Creed III here Check out our review of Assassin’s Creed III Liberation hereWe are big fans of both Synology NAS boxes and DVBLink so when we heard about the new DVBLink product suite for Synology NAS we couldn’t help but smile.
DVBLink product suite for Synology NAS turns your Synology NAS into a personal video recorder. With the support for satellite (DVB-S/S2), Cable (DVB-C and QAM) and terrestrial (DVB-T/T2 and ATSC) reception DVBLink TV Server will record your favorite TV programs in original quality directly to a hard disk of your Synology NAS and distribute live and recorded TV throughout your house.
DVBLink TV Server makes sure that you never miss your favourite programs again – browse the EPG and manage timer recordings while you are on the go using free DVBLink apps for iOS, Android and WinPhone mobile devices.
DS1010+, DS1511+, DS2411+, DS411+, DS411+II, DS710+, DS712+, RS2211+, RS2211rp+, RS810+, RS810rp+, DS1512+, DS1812+, DS2413+, DS412+, RS2212+, RS2212rp+, RS812+, RS812rp+
*DSM 4.0 or higher is required
Please only read this is if you don’t mind Spoilers to Dead Space 3.
Additional Achievements can be earned for weapon and item crafting, while countless awards will be available during co-op play.
Last week, it was revealed that Dead Space 3 will feature Kinect support, giving players the chance to request help from their co-op partner.
As well as Kinect, Dead Space 3 introduces campaign co-op, where players are able to drop in and out of online sessions at will.
Visceral wanted co-operative multiplayer in the original Dead Space but had to scrap it due to time and creative reasons.
Dead Space 3 will be available for PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on February 5th, 2013 in North America and on February 8th, 2013 in Europe.
The list of Achievements in full:
If like me you played adventure games as a kid you probably played at least one game from Infocom. Now Activision has released a huge bundle of Infocom games on iOS.
Enter the world of master storytellers. Before there were state-of-the-art consoles, tablets and PCs capable of amazing graphics, gamers had to use their imagination and wit, to solve intricate puzzles and progress through these text-only adventure gaming classics.
The Lost Treasures of Infocom brings these classic works of interactive fiction to life for the first time on iPad, Phone & iPod Touch. This definitive collection of 27 adventure games spanning fantasy, sci-fi, mystery, horror & more, places you in the center of immersive, richly-detailed interactive worlds full of interesting locations, engaging puzzles & surprising twists & turns. You’re more than just a passive reader as you engage directly with the story by typing actions through your keyboard. Use your imagination to come up with creative solutions to puzzles with multiple solutions as you progress through each adventure and bring these stories to life!
• Download today & get the all-time adventure classic that started it all, Zork I: The Great Underground Empire, for FREE! Plunge beneath the surface of the earth in search of the long lost Treasures of Zork. Starting from a field west of the iconic White House, Zork beckons you into a world fraught with danger & discovery.
• Collect & play the original Infocom text adventure library with 27 games in all, including The Zork™ Series, Planetfall®, The Enchanter Trilogy, Leather Goddesses of Phobos™, & many more!
• Interact with all of the original classic Infocom collectables, from the packaging & game manuals to the in-box “feelies”, all faithfully reproduced for fans of the series
• Access special interactive versions the original InvisiClues hint books, & full game maps for each title, accessible from within the games themselves
• Learn about the rise & fall of Infocom, with an exclusive history article written exclusively for the app
• Showcase your adventure game accomplishments to your friends with full GameCenter leaderboard support
• Also includes the exclusive, never-before-published text adventure “Zork: The Undiscovered Underground”, written by original Infocom designers
• Re-live these brilliant & imaginative adventure titles with over 350 hours of gameplay
Complete your collection and keep these classic games alive for generations to come. Players can purchase five bundle packs with 5 games each for $2.99 per pack; OR own the entire game collection PLUS all game maps AND the exclusive, never-published bonus adventure “Zork: The Undiscovered Underground”, for just $9.99.
• A Mind Forever Voyaging
• Ballyhoo
• Border Zone
• Cutthroats
• Deadline
• Enchanter
• Hollywood Hijinx
• Infidel
• Leather Goddess of Phobos
• The Lurking Horror
• Moonmist
• Planetfall
• Plundered Hearts
• Seastalker
• Sorcerer
• Spellbreaker
• Starcross
• Stationfall
• Suspect
• Suspended: A Cryogenic Nightmare
• The Witness
• Trinity
• Wishbringer
• Zork 1: The Great Underground Empire (FREE with free initial download)
• Zork 2 : The Wizard of Frobozz
• Zork 3 : The Dungeon Master
• Zork: The Undiscovered Underground (bonus game for purchasing the Complete Collection)
The Greatest Video Game Music played by the London Philharmonic Orchestra has been out now for a while and if you are a video game fan it’s a must have, and we have an unreleased track you can download for free.
Performed by the world famous London Philharmonic Orchestra, The Greatest Video Game Music, features 21 brand new, classical orchestrations of some of video game’s most cherished musical themes. The album has sold almost 100,000 copies to date, making it the best selling video game music album of all time.
The track listing is as follows:
Download "Enemy Zero: Last Movement" performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra by clicking here: http://shorefi.re/V95eYk
This is a really good soundtrack to have playing in the background whether you are playing a game, or just relaxing. I have listened to it quite a few times now.
Have you listened to it yet? What is your favourite track? Let us know by leaving a comment below.
There is an update to the beta of Drive Bender for Windows Home Server 2011, taking it to version v1.4.6.0, also known as the Tomcat release.
Update: A number of performance improvements with regards to how pool free space is calculated and reported
Downoad the beta from hereWhat do you think of Drive Bender? Let us know by leaving a comment below.